FOOD : How to spend an afternoon, eating and drinking in Inverness
Inverness, the capital of the Scottish Highlands, offers a vibrant and diverse food and drink scene that delights locals and visitors alike. From traditional Scottish fare to international cuisine, the city caters to all tastes and preferences. The city boasts a range of cosy pubs and trendy cocktail bars, where visitors can unwind with a sip of single malt whisky or enjoy innovative craft cocktails. With a strong emphasis on using locally sourced ingredients and a growing number of farm-to-table establishments, Inverness truly showcases the best of Scotland's culinary landscape.
HOW TO SPEND An AFTERNOON EATING AND DRINKING IN INVERNESS
Here’s a guide on how to spend an afternoon eating and drinking your way around Inverness.
First stop : Glen Mhor and Uile Bheist Distillery & Brewery for Afternoon Tea and Craft Beer.
Ness Bank, Inverness IV2 4SG
Glen Mhor hotel is home to Uile Bheist Distillery and Brewery. My suggestion is to book the Discovery Tour (£31.50pp) and upgrade it to the ‘Taste the Bheist’ tour (£15.00pp). You’ll be given a guided tour around the distillery and brewery, learn about the folklore and mythology behind Uile Bheist plus you get to taste their new make spirit, Calpach whisky and beer. The Taste the Bheist tour provides a more indepth understanding of the craft and you’ll also enjoy a further 4 beers.
Uile Bheist is a new whisky distillery and they are still waiting for their whisky - only 2.5 years to wait! Scottish whisky needs to mature for 3 years and 1 day before it can be called a whisky! In the meantime, they brew craft beers!
This distillery and brewery will captivate whisky and beer enthusiasts from far and wide. A beautiful building with very sparkling and shiny copper pot stills and gleaming silver tanks, it exudes an old-world charm but very modern and cutting edge. As its both a distillery and a brewery there’s an aroma of malt and hops that envelops your senses.
Uile Bheist is a story. It’s a story of legends and monsters intertwined with the skill and craftmanship of distillation and brewing, and it fits perfectly into the rich Inverness tapestry of life along the River Ness.
You can book your tours here - www.uilebheist.com/distilley-brewery-tours-experiences/
Once your tour is done, spend a little time relaxing in the very comfortable and ever so Scottish Snug found in the bar. Just don’t fall asleep! Okay maybe a 40 winks whilst you wait on your Afternoon Tea being delivered. After all, it’s hard work tasting beer!
If you’ve dosed off in the snug, you’ll soon be woken by the aroma of freshly baked scones and perhaps the clinking of the crockery as the tiered stand filled with culinary wonders is laid out on a bar table.
Buttery, ever so slightly crumbly scones served with pots of clotted cream and strawberry jam. An array of dainty finger sandwiches from smoked salmon and cream cheese to egg and cress mayo. Sweet treats, meticulously crafted, and the most moist and delicious Carrot Cake, chocolate brownie and macarons enchant your palate. A steamy cup of freshly brewed tea in hand, the thoughts of beer fall away and you can you relax into food contentment.
Afternoon Tea at Glen Mhor costs £19.95pp. Add on Prosecco for an additional £6.95pp. Afternoon Tea is served daily 12noon-4pm. Book here - www.glen-mhor.com/afternoon-tea/
By now your appetite will be satiated and you’ll be raring to go! Time to take that 10 minute meander along the river to your next stop, The Malt Room. Inverness’ first ever dedicated whisky bar!
Second Stop : The Malt Room
34 Church Street, Inverness, IV1 1EH
This bar is wee, cosy and intimate and is located up a quaint alleyway that is one of four entrances to the Victorian Market (a haven for foodie lovers).
At the Malt Room you can enjoy a dram from the vast collection of single malts and blended whiskies on offer, or choose a flight of whisky. Upstairs lies their Tasting Room which is available for parties up to 18 people who would like a private whisky tasting experience. The room is snug and it gives ‘home’ feels with leather sofas, faux fur rugs and throws, a display cabinet filled with whisky and a roaring fire.
For more info on the Malt Room visit www.themaltroom.co.uk/
Although no food is available at The Malt Room, pop next door to the Victorian Market and tuck into the sinful delights from Bad Girl Bakery or grab something healthy from Salt N Fire.
Inverness also has an incredible company who deliver grazing boards, hampers and picnics - Hampers & Champers Inverness.
We demolished their visually appealing loaded grazing board overflowing with some of the very best food from Inverness and Scottish Highland producers at our Malt Room whisky tasting.
Black Pudding from Charie Barleys
Cheese from Highland Fine Cheeses and Connage Dairy
Venison Salami from Great Glen Charcuterie
Crackers from Highland Crackers
The Malt Room also carries a range of some very tasty craft beers from local brewery, Dog Falls Brewing Co. Bob, Brewer Patron owns this award-winning nano brewery and produces thirst quenching beers like Split the Tree New England IPA at 7.2% ABV and my favourite, the Rasparilla, a raspberry Berliner Weisse at 5.0% ABV.
Inverness Loch Ness is about so much more than monsters. It offers a vibrant dining scene with a plethora of restaurants and bars to suit every taste. From traditional Scottish cuisine to international delicacies, visitors can indulge in a variety of gastronomic delights. The city boasts numerous charming pubs serving locally crafted beers and whiskies such as the ones mentioned above.. places where one can soak in the warm Scottish hospitality. Inverness truly caters to food enthusiasts and connoisseurs alike, making it a must-visit destination for culinary explorations.
For more food, drink and travel info on Inverness Loch Ness head to the Visit Inverness Loch Ness website